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Skill Challenges: Bringing the Awesome
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<blockquote data-quote="Professor Phobos" data-source="post: 4168079" data-attributes="member: 18883"><p>Hmm. Good point. Maybe subdivide the skill challenge? If I have three PCs, and they're fleeing guards, I say: "Skill challenge!" For the whole group, they're 6/3. Each individual PC is, however, at 2/1. Two successes to escape, one to get caught. </p><p></p><p>I'd probably allow successes to transfer, since it's a group deal- so that a PC with a failure can be "rescued" by a PC with a success, and the chase resumes. </p><p></p><p>As an example (with only two PCs, because I am lazy) let us say that our two Gentleman Thieves have just been discovered by a quartet of guards in a Noble Lord's bedroom stealing his prize jewels.</p><p></p><p>Forgive me if I don't have the skill list memorized, I don't.</p><p></p><p>DM: "What do you do?"</p><p>PCs: "Run away!" </p><p>DM: "Skill challenge!" (behind the screen, I write down 4/2-2/1)</p><p>PC1: "I leap out the window to a nearby rooftop." (Acrobatics)</p><p>PC2: "I jump off the balcony to the street below." (Athletics)</p><p>Say both succeed. It's now 2/2-1/1. </p><p>DM: The guards split into two groups- one jumping onto the rooftop in pursuit, the other two jumping down to the street to give chase. </p><p>PC1: "I turn and push the guards off the roof!" (Athletics)</p><p>He succeeds, the guards fall and land comically on a manure cart. His skill challenge is over.</p><p>PC2: "I crawl into a sewer grate!" (Dungeoneering) </p><p>He fails! A guard grabs his leg and drags him back!</p><p></p><p>PC1 has escaped, PC2 has been caught. </p><p></p><p>I'd probably allow PC1, however, to notice PC2's plight and voluntarily stay in the skill challenge to help out. </p><p>PC1: "I distract the guards with cutting insults!" (Diplomacy) </p><p>He succeeds- and that success transfers to PC2, undoing his previous failure and allowing him another shot to escape.</p><p>PC2: "I run to a nearby wandering priest of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and request sanctuary with the special secret code phrase for doing so used by that church." (Religion)</p><p></p><p>He succeeds! Unwilling to offend the Flying Spaghetti Monsterite, a powerful sect in this city, the guards retreat.</p><p></p><p>5 skills have been used (Dungeoneering, Religion, Diplomacy, Acrobatics and Athletics" for a 4/2 skill challenge, but the Diplomacy roll "cancels" with the failed Dungeoneering roll, so there's still a net 4 successes. </p><p></p><p>Depending on the particular circumstance, I might have to extend the skill challenge- if PC1's actions put him at risk of further pursuit. Or I might not. Even if he had jumped down to aid PC2, the Spaghetti Monsterite could have granted both sanctuary. </p><p></p><p>I think it's probably best to view the # of successes/failures metric as a guideline that can be adjusted on the fly.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Professor Phobos, post: 4168079, member: 18883"] Hmm. Good point. Maybe subdivide the skill challenge? If I have three PCs, and they're fleeing guards, I say: "Skill challenge!" For the whole group, they're 6/3. Each individual PC is, however, at 2/1. Two successes to escape, one to get caught. I'd probably allow successes to transfer, since it's a group deal- so that a PC with a failure can be "rescued" by a PC with a success, and the chase resumes. As an example (with only two PCs, because I am lazy) let us say that our two Gentleman Thieves have just been discovered by a quartet of guards in a Noble Lord's bedroom stealing his prize jewels. Forgive me if I don't have the skill list memorized, I don't. DM: "What do you do?" PCs: "Run away!" DM: "Skill challenge!" (behind the screen, I write down 4/2-2/1) PC1: "I leap out the window to a nearby rooftop." (Acrobatics) PC2: "I jump off the balcony to the street below." (Athletics) Say both succeed. It's now 2/2-1/1. DM: The guards split into two groups- one jumping onto the rooftop in pursuit, the other two jumping down to the street to give chase. PC1: "I turn and push the guards off the roof!" (Athletics) He succeeds, the guards fall and land comically on a manure cart. His skill challenge is over. PC2: "I crawl into a sewer grate!" (Dungeoneering) He fails! A guard grabs his leg and drags him back! PC1 has escaped, PC2 has been caught. I'd probably allow PC1, however, to notice PC2's plight and voluntarily stay in the skill challenge to help out. PC1: "I distract the guards with cutting insults!" (Diplomacy) He succeeds- and that success transfers to PC2, undoing his previous failure and allowing him another shot to escape. PC2: "I run to a nearby wandering priest of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and request sanctuary with the special secret code phrase for doing so used by that church." (Religion) He succeeds! Unwilling to offend the Flying Spaghetti Monsterite, a powerful sect in this city, the guards retreat. 5 skills have been used (Dungeoneering, Religion, Diplomacy, Acrobatics and Athletics" for a 4/2 skill challenge, but the Diplomacy roll "cancels" with the failed Dungeoneering roll, so there's still a net 4 successes. Depending on the particular circumstance, I might have to extend the skill challenge- if PC1's actions put him at risk of further pursuit. Or I might not. Even if he had jumped down to aid PC2, the Spaghetti Monsterite could have granted both sanctuary. I think it's probably best to view the # of successes/failures metric as a guideline that can be adjusted on the fly. [/QUOTE]
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